Improvement in cotton-presses



2 Sheets-Sheet1. W. B. VILLARD.

COTTON-PRESS. No.176,387. Patented April 18, 1876.

WMCQ/Ld, 6/ /3 .dttorney/Z N-PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON, D C,

UNI ED STATES PATENT OFFroE.

WILLIAM B. VILLARD, OF SUNNY SIDE, GEORGIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN COTTON-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 176,387, dated April 18, 1876; application filed October 21, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, WM. B. VILLARD, of Sunny Side, in the county of Spalding, and in the State of Georgia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Presses; and do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a cottonpress, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my cottonpress. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the follower. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the press.

A represents a suitable frame-work, in which is the bale-box or packing-box B. 0 is the bottom of said box, and D is the follower or press-block, the latter being suspended and raised by means of two cords or chains, a a, connecting it with a Windlass, E, on top. The follower D is near each end, on top, provided with two hinged pawls or dogs, b b, which take into a toothed or rack bar, d, secured in the end of the bale-box, for the purpose of holding the follower down, and prevent it from rising or giving during the operation of pressing the bale. In the center of each side of the follower D is an arm, 6, which projects through a vertical slot in the side of the balebox. On these projecting arms are placed slotted or perforated metal bars or straps G G, which pass down along the sides of the balebox, and are held close to the same by means of latchesff, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower ends of the bars or straps G G are hinged to a sliding head or frame, H, which is located in the frame A below the bottom 0 of the bale-box. This head or frame is, by a center bar or rod, I, connected with a lever, J, pivoted at its inner end in the frame A. The

outer end of the lever J is provided with a pulley-block, K, through which is passed a cord, 1', said cord also passing through a pulleyblock, L, suspended in an elevated frame, A, and thence to a Windlass, M.

To operate .the press, the follower D is first raised out of the box by means of the windlass E, and held to one side while the box is filled with the cotton or other material to be pressed. The follower is then placed on top of the cotton, and the pawls b b at each end thrown into contact with the toothed bars d d, and the straps or bars G G hooked onto the projections or arms e e. The lever J, being raised by means of a team attached to the end of the rope z, is then brought down, which pulls down the follower for a certain distance. The lever is then raised again, which causes the straps G to slip ofi" from the arms 0, the follower being held by the pawls in the toothed bars, and the straps then catch in other perforations on the arms 6 6, so that when the lever again goes down the follower will be pulled down still farther, and so on until the bale is pressed. The lever J is intended to be long and heavy enough to force the follower down of its own weight, but weights may be placed thereon if so desired. When the bale is pressed and tied the follower is raised by the Windlass E, and the doors of the bale-box opened to take out the bale.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the follower D with projecting arms c e, hinged perforated straps G G, head H, bar I, long weighted lever J, pulleys K L M, and cord 1', whereby the lever is elevated, and the fall of said lever causes the material to be pressed, all constructed substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of September, 1875.

WM. B. VILLABD. Witnesses:

O. L. EVERT, A. N. MooRE, Jr. 

